Dispensing tube for pastes and creams



Sept. 19, 1933. G, HQRNER ET AL 1,927,122

DISPENSING TUBE FOR PASTES AND CREAMS Filed Oct. 19, 1952 gjvwm-vw n ear@Z. Horne?" Harald Z. 7 inch Patented Sept. 19, 1933 UNITED STATES1.927.122 msransmc. TUBE FOR msras- .AND CREAMS George L. Homer andllarold L. Finch, Iowa City, Iowa Application-October 19, 1932. SerialNo. 638,618

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to tubes for tooth paste; cold cream, and otherpastes and creams which are dispensed in collapsible tubes. Tubes forthe purpose stated usually have no provisions for retaining the capsonthe tubes at all times so that when a tube is being used the capfrequent e ly falls to the floor or is dropped and lost, or theusersometimes forgets to place the cap back on the tube which results inhardening of the contents of the tube at the discharge opening.

Our invention primarily has for its object to provide a new and improveddispensing tube and cap of such construction that the cap will notbecome lost and will at all times be attached to the tube.

Further an object of the invention is to provide a dispensing tube witha sanitary cap that cannot be removed from the tube but which is held insuch correlation to the tube that the closing of the tube isfacilitated, thereby insuring the keeping of the paste or cream in itsoriginal condition.

Further, it is an object to provide a tube with means whereby thecontents may be easily and economically dispensed.

Further it is an object to provide a sanitary dispensing tube withnon-removable cap, easy to operate, economical in use, one which willpreserve the contents in the original condition and one in which thecontents may be applied to a finger or brush cohesively.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention stillfurther resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in thefollowing detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in theappended claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:-

Figure 1 is an elevation of our invention, the cap being unscrewed andthe dispensing duct pulled out.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate like partsin all of the figures, 1 represents the body of the flexible tube, oneend of which is pinched closed while the other end is provided with aconical portion 2 having a neck 3 that is provided with an externallythreaded portion 4 and a hole 5 in which the duct 6 has longitudinalsliding hearing. I duct 6-has its inner end curved over or upset as at 7to constitute a stop which limits the outward movement oftheductfi.

' The duct 6 is provided with an upset portion 60 8 at its outer'endthatis embedded in thematerial ofjthe cap 10 or otherwise rigidly securedthereto. A suitable outlet 9 constituting a dis- 0 pensing hole isprovidedin the duct 6 whichis exposed when the duct ispulled out. Thisopening 9 may be of any shape desired, round, ellip- 1 tical, or anelongated rectangle, the latterform being shown for purposes ofillustration.

The cap 10 is provided with threads 11 to en--' gage the threads 4 ofthe neck of the tube when the cap is to be screwed onto the neck andwhich is also provided with a suitable gasket 12 to insure aliquid-tight seal when the cap is screwed home.

It is also to be observedthat the length of the tube 6 is not greaterthan the combined length of the conical end 2 and its neck 3 so thatwhen the cap is screwed on, the duct will be protected by thecomparatively stiff or rigid conical end 2 and neck 3, these parts ofthe tube being usually made of heavier material than the flexible body1.

It will be noted from the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, that the new dispensing tube increases toa higher degree the cleanliness of any paste or cream that is sold injars or tubes. 35

In the first place, there is no danger of the cream or paste beingunintentionally exposed to the air or dirt, for this reason that thereis no cap to be removed and temporarily disposed of, while the tube isin use. Secondly, if this new dispenser should be accidently dropped orleft open no part of the discharge opening can in any way come in directcontact with unsanitary surfaces. Thirdly, when suflicient paste hasbeen removed from the discharge opening, the opening is emersed again inthe cream or paste, and thus avoids any germs that may contaminate thetop of the tube, a condition that is prevalent whenever the present tubeis used.

It is also to be noted that the present tube used in the dispensing ofpaste and cream demands that the cap be removed and temporarily setaside while the contents of the container are being used. In the case ofthe improved dispenser there is no need for such procedure inasmuch asthis cap dispenser is built in and becomes an integral part of thecontainer. This in and of itsel1 eliminates any possibility of the capdispenser being lost.

It will be seen that our improved tube is easy to operate. In the firstplace, the slightest turn upon the outer tip of the cap dispenserunlocks the threads that retain the dispensing tube in place. After theunlocking of the threads, the dispensing tube is easily withdrawn fromthe container. There is no danger of the dispensing tube being totallyremoved from the container, as the knurled end of the dispensing tubewill allow such tube to be withdrawn only the proper distance. At thispoint it might be added that the tube will slide back and forth withease, for

the reason that the outer portion of the dispensing tube acts as a guidefor the removing and replacing of non-removable cap dispenser. Also thecontainer is instantly closed upon the submergence of the dispensingtube into the paste or cream and the application of a slight turn, onthe outer tip of the cap dispenser. The reason for this is that thethreads on the neck of the container are coordinately made so that itmakes instant contact with the threads of the cap dispenser. This isassured inasmuch as no paste or cream comes in contact with the threadson the neck of the cap dispenser or in the cap.

Secondly, the slightest pressure upon the container, after thedispensing tube is at the open position, will instantly start a flow ofcream or paste through the discharge opening. The amount of paste isalways governed by the amount of pressure applied to the container.

The use of the invention results in economy for the following reasons:First, with the present tube that is now in use it is easy to use morecream or paste than is absolutely necessary inasmuch as it is impossibleto hold the container at an angle that will insure the elimination of apossible loss in the paste or cream while applying it to any brush orfinger tip. By the use of the cap dispenser the container may be held ata natural angle and thus facilitates the dispensing of the paste orcream with the possibility of loss eliminated.

Secondly, the cap dispenser being permanently attached to the containerprevents any loss arising through the medium of the paste or creambecoming hard as a result of exposure to air caused by the removal ofcap or covering. No paste or cream is wasted inasmuch as all unusedcream is returned into the body of the container, while the use of thepresent container always results in a surplus of paste or cream aboutthe opening of the container.

The paste or cream always remains in its original condition. This is dueto the fact that the discharge opening is always submerged in the creamor paste whenever the tube is not in use or closed.

This eliminates the possibility of the body of the paste or cream beingsubjected to the air at any time, a factor which is entirely responsiblefor the disintegration of creams and pastes. The preservation of thecream or paste in its original condition absolutely guarantees thatthere will be no waste of material due to uncalled for pressure to forcethe hardened cream out of the opening.

The new cap dispenser insures absolute cohesion between the cream orpaste and the brush. This is due to the fact'that the container is heldat a natural angle and thus forces the cream or paste into the bristlesof the brush when pressure is applied to the container.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, it is thought the complete construction, operationand advantages of our invention will be clear to those skilled in theart to which it relates.

What we claim is:

A dispensing tube comprising a flexible body having a conical endprovided with a neck having a bearing opening, a duct disposed insaidopening and longitudinally movable therein, said neck adjacent thebearing opening having an inner wall surface in a plane normal to theaxis of the opening, said duct having its inner end provided with anouter flange held in a plane normal to the axis of the duct to cooperatewith said inner wall surface as a positive stop, the outer end of saidduct having a transversely directed flange, a cap in which saidtransversely directed flange is embedded as an integral structure, saidduct having a. discharge opening in its side, said cap and said neckhaving interlocking portions for holding the cap on the neck with theduct telescoped into the tube, said duct being of a length slightly lessthan the combined lengths of said conical end and said neck and being ofa length suflicient, when pulled out, to admit the brush part of a toothbrush to lie against the duct between said cap and said neck.

GEORGE L. HORNER. HAROLD L. FINCH.

